Recording meter



Nov. 6, 1928.

P; RICHERT RECORDING METER Filed Dec. 18,, 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet mm QM. +w M m n o 0 Q m6 km. H m M. F] N NM \m v Q Q\ Q \s M t 5 W Q E N u INVEIVTOR w/vwzsszs 6 M W Nov. 6, 1928. 1,691,017

P. RICHERT RECORDING METER Filed 060.18, 1923 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 W/TA/EJSES 3; d- M. I @MWmwoM Him.

Nov. 6, 1928. 1,691,017 7 P. RICHERT RECORDING METER Filed Dec. 18, 1923 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented 6,

' PANY, A conronm oiv or PENNSYLVANIA.

g 1, 91,011 UNITED (STA ES PATENT PAUL manner, on NEW YORK, a. Y., ASSIGNOR TO PITTSBURGH TAXIMETER com;

, RECORDING METER.

i aga'io mea December 18,1923 Serial No. 681,373.

This invention relates to recordin devices and more particularly tot-hat type of re-,

cording devices used on vehicles for the pure pose of obtaining a chartshowing the manner of operationof. the vehicle,:that is tosay, a chartwhichshows at a glance the distance traveled, the time consumed in traveling that distance and the'time which elapsed between trips or during which the vehiclewas sta-. tionary. i I

An object of this invention is to provide 7 a recordingdevice of theabove type, adapted for use upon"vehicles, which will produce a clear, accurate and legible chart showing the operationsof the vehicleover a given period of time, for example, 'twenty-fourhours.

A further object is to provide a connection between the driveshaftlof the recording device and a-movingpart of the vehicle-of such construction that thedrive shaft will be rotated one direction only irrespective of the directionof movement of the vehicle so that the recording device will be" actuated regardless of whether the vehicle is moving forward or backward.

proved recording device in which an improved form of perforator is made toform a simple, rugged, and positive mechanism is operated by the movement of the vehicle to drive the perforator.

*A still further object is to provide re:

cording device in which a plurality of d'upli-- cate charts may be made simultaneou's1yi A still further object is to. provide an i1'n-- provedv form of chart and a-nimproved holder for supporting the chart.

These and other objects, which will appear obvious to those skilled in this particular art,

I accomplish by means of my invention, one embodiment of which is shown, for the pur pose of illustration,- in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a front eleva tion of a recording device construction in ac cord'ance with this invention, Fig. 2' is a side elevation of .the structure. shown in Fig; 1,

Fig.3 is a front elevation of the recording mechanism show-mg the front cover plate partly broken away so as'to show the detail arrangement of the recording mechanism, Fig. 4 is a cross section taken'on the line 44 of Fig. 3, Fig. 5 is a section 'onthe l1ne 5 5 of Fig. lshowing the construction of the per A, still furtherobject is to providean im-h fora-tor projector, F ig, 6 is a section onthe line 6 6 of Fig. 3, Fig. 7 1s a. View in eleva tion of the mechanism for driving the record ing device from a moving part of the vehicle, Fig. 8 is an end view of the structure shown Fig. 8, Fig. 1G is asection on the line 10 l,0 of Fig. 7 andFig. 11 is a view in elevation of a. part of my improved. form of chart used withthe' recording, device. i M

Inthe device chosen for illustration I have showna rotatable chart holder adapted to hold a disc shapedchart- The chart holder inFig. 7, Fig. 9 is a sect-ion on the line 9 9. of

is driven, preferably, by an ordinary clock circles represent a given distance traveled by the vehicle. If desired two or more charts maybe produced simultaneously merely by superimposing the required number on the' holder at the same time.

The chart holder is soarranged with relation to the recording device that the rnled part of the chart face is rotated past aperforator which is adapted to oscillate in a generally radial direction back and forth across the concentric circles of the chart face, The perforator is driven from a moving part of the vehicle and is adapted to form a: series of perforations inthe chart in accordance with the vehicle movement and means are provided for operating the drive shaft of the perforator in one direction only, irrespective of the direction of movement of. the vehicle, so that ner as to provide a. record of the movement 1 the perforator will be operated in such a manof the vehicle regardless of whether the vehi-- clemoves forward or backward. I

The illustrated embodiment of my invention includes arotatable'chart holder 11 secured to a shaftlQ which is rotated by an ordinary clock movement 13. The face of the chart holder is provided with pins 14 and a snap fasten 3r 15 pivoted at one side ofthe holder on the pivot 16. A spring 17 adapted to press thesnapfastener against the face of the holder 11. A disc-shaped chart 18 is mounted upon the face of the holder '11. The chart has perforations 19 adapted to accommodate the pins 1% and a rectangular perforation is provided through which the snap fastener 15 extends. As above noted, a plurality of charts may be produced simultaneously by securing the desired number in superposed relation in the holder 11.

The chart, see Fig. 11, is provided with radial lines 21 and 22 which form sections indicating any desired length oftime. The outer part of the face of the chart is ruled with concentric circles 23, the listance between which indicates a certain distance of travel of the vehicle. In this case each space represents one quarter of a mile. it will therefore, be seen that the distance on the illustrated chart between the outer circle 23 and the inner circle 23 represents two miles traveled by the vehicle. The chart 18 is rotated by the holder 11 so that the ruled or recording section of the face thereof passes through, or by. the recording device 2 1. In the present instance it pat. through a slot 25 formed b tween an arcuate pcrforator stop 26 and the outer face of the cover plate 27 of the perforating mechanism to which the stop is secured.

A perforator 28, see Fig. l, is adapted to be periodically projected through an arcuate slot 29, formed in the cover plate 27 adjacent the stop bar 26, so as to form a series of per forations in the recording chart in timed relation to the movement of the vehicle.

The perforator is in the form of a rod having at oneend a sharp point 30 adapted to pierce the chart and a stop shoulder 31 which'sur rounds the base of the point and which adapted to contact with the edge of the perforator stop 26 past which the point is projected in piercing the chart. The stop 26 thus forms a backing for the chart and as the point 30 is driven beyond the edge he stop 26, which latter contacts with the perforator shoulder 81, piercing of the chart insured. The perforator is supported in holder 32 pivoted to a shaft 83 about which it is adapted to be oscillated so as to move the perforator back and forth from one end of the arcuate slot 29 to the other. A bracket 3% is mounted on the supporting arm 32 to maintain the perforator 28 in operative position, and coil spring 35 is placed around the pert-orator 28 between the upper end of the oscillating support 32 and a collar 36 formed on the perforator so as to ordinarily maintain the perforator in retracted position. I

The holder 32 is oscillated about the shaft 33 by a cam 37 mounted on a rotatable shaft 38 and contacting with a pin 39 secured to the support 32. A spring 40 is provided for maintaining the pin 37 in contact with the cam The cam rotated by a worm wheel 41 secured to the shaft 38 anddriven by a worm 12 on the drive shaft 43 of the perforator.

The perforator 28 is periodically actuated by a perforator projector l t adapted to oscillate about supporting trunnions 45 mounted in the side plates d6 and 17 of the projector supporting frame. The projector 4% is provided with a contact plate 8 slid-- ably mounted in the projector frame A. Stops 4.9 are formed on the contact plate and are adapted to cooperate with lugs formed on the projector frame 44 for limitingtlie outwaro movement of the contact plate. A. coil spring 51 tends to keep the contact plate 18 in its extreme outward position. The projector id adapted to be oscillated on its supporting trunnions by a double cam 52 secured to the drive shaft 13. A projecting nose 53 is formed on the projector frame to cooperate with the cam 52, see Fig. 4:. A spring is provided to maintain the nose 53 in contact with the cam 52. It is obvious that oscillation of the projector frame 44 by the cam 52 will move the contact plate against the perforator 28. In riding along the projector the contact plate 48 will be depressed against the tension of the spring 51-until it passes the end of the projector. The spring 51 will then snap the contact plate outwardly so that when the high point of the cam 52 has passed the nose 53 the projector frame will be snapped forwardly by the spring 5 1: and the contact plate 48 will drive the perforatoroutwardly through the slot 29 and cause the point of the perforator to pierce the chart 18 adjacent the perforator stop 26 against which the shoulder 31 strikes. The arcuate perforator stop 26 forms a backing for the chart adjacent the perforator point and insures piercing of the chart.

If desired a set of counters 55 may be operated by the drive shaft 43 through the medium of a worm .56 secured to the drive shaft for driving the worm wheel 57 which operates the counters.

Obviously the drive shaft 43 must be operated in one direction only. This drive shaft is connected to a moving part of the vehicle and'I have provided a mechanism for driving the shaft in the proper direction irrespective of whether the vehicle is moving forward or backward.

This mechanism, see Figs. 7 to 10, includes a shaft 58 adapted to be driven by a shaft 59 which is connected to a moving part of the vehicle. The shaft 58 is rotatably supported in a plate 60 and has secured thereto a pinion 61. A stub shaft 62 is mounted on the plate 60 and rotatably supports a gear 63 in mesh with the pinion 61. A ratchet wheel. 64 is rotatably mounted on the stub shaft 62 adjacent the gear 63 and a second gear 65 is rotatably mounted on a shoulder 66 formed in the outer face of the ratchet wheel 64. The gear 65 is driven in an opposite direction to the gear 63 by a reversing pinion 67 in mesh with the gear 65 and driven by thepinion 61.

The pinion e7 is-monnted upon the stnb shaft 68- onthe supportingplatefi) The ratchet Wheel 64 is adapted to drive the shaft 43 through themedium of diametrically opposed pins 69 which project outwardly from the face of the ratchet wheel and contactjwith a cross pin 70 secured in the end of the shaft 43, see Fig. 2. A pawl 71 is secured to the inner face ofthe gear65-and adapted to, contact with the teeth of the ratchet wheel A second pawl 72 is secured to the inner face of or the gear'63 so as to contact'with the teeth of the ratchet wheel; Obviously rotation of the pinion 61 by the movement of the vehicle will rotate the, gear 63 anditssupported pawl in one direction while the outer gear 65 and its supported pawl 71 are rotated in. the opi posite direction through the intermediate, pinion 67., If the gear 63 is rotated'tothe right in Fig.8 the pawl 7 2 will 'drivethe ratchet wheel to the right while the pawl 71 011 the gear 65' simply drags over the teeth of the ratchet. If the vehicle is moved in the opposite direction so as to rotate the pinion 6 1 in a reverse direction the gear 63 and pawl 72 Will be rotated to the left while the gear 65 and pawl 71 will be rotated to the right and the ratchet wheel will be driven also to the right, this time by the pawl 71; In other words the ratchet wheel and the shaft 43 are always driven in one direction irrespective of the direction of movement of the vehicle.

In operation the chart or charts are first set i I so that the perforator is opposite the line 21' on the chart whichcorresponds to the; time I of day at which the vehicle is starting :out.

The chart is rotated past the perforator by the rotation of theholder 11 Whichis driven by the clock movement. In- Fig.11 the lines 21 which extend across the concentriccircles 23 indicate; five minute intervals." Upon movement of the'vehicle the drive shaft 43 is rotated. Rotationof the drive shaft causes" wthe perforator holder 32and the er'forator to oscillateb-ack and forth across t e face'of the chart in accordance with the movement of the vehicle, This is accomplished by 'the' rotation of the cam 37 as above described.

Du1'ing this oscillation the perforator will be periodically actuated through the oscillation of the projector 44 and the contact plate 48 by the cam 52 on the driveshaft Band a series of perforations showing the operation of the vehicle thus formed inthe chart face.

The space between each circle 23 onthe chart 18, see Fig-11, in this case indicatesone quarter ofa mile. Therefore the illustrated:

chart shows that the vehiclestartedout at three oclock, the point where the line of perforations Abegins, and traveled steadily for two mileswhich distance was coveredby 3:30. In other words the vehicle was traveling steadily for one half an hour at the rate of four miles an hour; The secondline' of perforations B begins'at the inner corresponding circle showing that the vehicle was: stationary for one half an hour after travelingitwo miles The linesof perforations Band B,

which startat the-radial: line indicating 4' oclock show that the vehicle was stationary in 30 minutes at vthe rate of four miles an hour.- At this point the line of-perforatious B shows-that the speed was accelerated some what andthe next mile-Was traveled in'a shorter time; Aftertraveling threemi'les the vehicle was stopped for about 5minutes'when it again traveled for az'mile as shown hyvthe perforated line C ata. greaterspeed finishing its travel at 5 oclock e Vhile I have illustrated and describedone form of my invention I do not desire 'to be' totsecure by Letters Patent is 1. In a device ofthe characterdescriloed, a perforator adapted to form a series ofperfolimited thereto but What I claim and desire rations in a recording chart, a pivoted perforator projector provided with a sliding contact plate and means for oscillating said projector so astobring said plate into contact with and actuate said perforator.

' 2. In a device of the character described, 3

a perforatoradapted to form a series ofperforations in a recording chart, a pivoted perforator projector'provided with a sliding contact plate, a.cam for moving said projector into operative relation with said perforator and a spring for moving said projector so as to bring said plate into contact with and actuate saidperforator. r I

3. In a device of the character described,

a perforator adapted to form a series of perforations in a recording chart, a pivoted perforator projector normally lying at one side of the path of'movement of said perforator,

means for moving said projector into operative relation with said perforator and a spring for advancing said projector so as to operate said perforator.

4. Ina'device of the character described, a

rations in a recording chart, a drive shaft, 2; pivoted perforator projector normally lying r at one side of the path of movement ofsaid perforator, a cam on said shaft for moving said projector into operative positionat the rear of said perforator and a spring for advancing said'projector soas to actuate said perforator. I Y

j V 70 from 3:30 until loclock atwhicli time it a again started and traveled the'next two miles;

6. In a device of the character described, a perforator adapted to form a series of perforations in a recording chart, a pivoted arm for supporting said perforator, a drive shaft,

means on said shaft for oscillating said arm so as to move said perforator across the face of the recording chart, a pivoted perforator projector normally lying at one side of the path of movement of said perforator, a cam on said shaft for moving said project-0r into operative position at the rear of said perforator and a spring for advancing said projector so as to operate said perforator.

7. In a device of'the character described, a perforator provided witha perforating point and a surrounding shoulder, a stop bar mounted in operative relation to said perforator, means for positioning a'chart between said perforator and said bar and mechanism for causing said point to be forcibly projected through said chart and for causing said shoulder to press said chart against said bar.

8. The combination in a recording device of a chart holder provided with projecting pins, a chart having perforations for receiving said pins when said chart is mounted on said holder, securing means eccentrically mounted on said holder and an opening. in said-chart through which said securing means extends.

9. The combination in a recording device of a chart holder provided with projecting pins, a plurality of charts having preforations for receiving said pins when said chart is mounted on saidholder, spring pressed secur ing means eccentrically mounted on said holder and an opening in said charts through which said securing means extends, whereby said plurality of charts are positively maintained on said holder in identical superimposed position. a

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 10th day of December,

- PAUL RICHERT. 

